Draft-beam and continuous draw-bar for railway-cars.



APPLICATION FILED 53.17.1911.

Patented web. 19,1918.

f um rio DAVID D. SMITH, OF OVERLAND PARK, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF '10 JAMES EDGAR SMITH, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. Q

DRAFT-BEAM AND CONTINUOUS DRAW-BAR FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

To all whom it may concern:

citizen of the United States, and a resident vof Overland Park, in the county of St. Louis,

State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Beams and Continuous Draw-Bars for Railway- Cars.I of which the following is a specification containing. a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to an improved draft and bufng apparatus for railway cars, and consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims,

rIhe object of my invention is to provide an improved continuous draft and buiiing apparatus, which will be (preferably) made of cast-steel, and will connect the drawbars at both ends of the car bya pair of S channels (iE-shaped in cross-section) set edgewise and extending from one draw-bari will have a separate continuous bufIing-beam in the form of a pair of l-shaped metallic channels andl cross-bars for connecting said channels, extending from one end of each car to the other end of the same car, and inclosing and guiding said continuous draw-bar member, throughout the length of the latter;

whereby each car of a train fitted with my inl vention will be pushed from the rear, and all draft strain will be transmitted throughout the train of cars so fitted by my improved continuous draw-bar, and all heavier buiing y.throughout the train will be transmitted throughout the train by my improved buding-beam, there being a suitable yieldingconnection between said continuous drawt bar (on each car) and its 'companion buliingcontinuous draft and buiing apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a detail, Longitudinal, vertical section of one end of samee Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented lFeb. i9, HMS.

Application led February 17, 1917. Serial No. 149,372.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, with the parts enlarged, and

Fig. 4 isl a detail cross-section taken through the continuous draw-bar on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

In the present instance, `I have shown the continuous draw-bar in the form of an integral casting, having two parallel channels 2 connected adjacent their ends by a top plate 3 and a bottom plate 4, and to which ends the usual couplers 5 are connected by a suitable bolt 6 or by any common means.

Said continuous draw-bar is located between, and inclosed on opposite sides by, the buting` and stiifening beam composed of a pair of parallel channels 7 which are connected by a series of cross-bars 8 and by the body-holsters 9, all preferably cast integral, although it is evident that if it is desired to make the parts of separate wrought metal, oristructural steel` such construction may be followed, in both freight and passenger cars.

While the said butling and stifening beam may be called a center beam, yet it is absolutely a draft-beam and nothing else, for the reason that it is located below the plane of the underframe of the car, and is not necessarily a part of said frame, although it may be readily cast integral with any of the patented cast-steel underframes now in use, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

Said body-holsters 9 are formed with a recess 10 on their under side, in which (and through which) said continuous draw-bar is located and extends, the usual centenplate ll being secured to the underside of said bolsters by means of bolts l2.

Said crossbars 8 of said buffing and stiE- f bsters 9, for the same purpose.

l shown.

Vertically-alined long slots 14 are -formed in the top 3 and bottom plates 4 of A plurality of horizontally-alined wide' slots, or openings, 16 a're formed in the vertical webs of said continuous draw-bar, and pairs of combined draft and buiiing followers 17 are mounted on edge in the said openings and extend transversely of said draw-bar, with their ends projecting beyond the outer surface of said webs, in contact with theppposite cross-bars 8 of the'said combined buliing and stiftening beam channels 7, which cross-bars act as abutments for said followers, in transmitting the draft and buliing strains from said continuous drawbar to the said beam channels, and through the latter the car is pushed and pulled, of

course.

A combined draft and bufling spring, as

y 18, is located in the space between each pair of thesaid followers 17 so that the endsof said spring will bear against the opposite plates.

Common spring-plate lugs 19 are used to hold said springs in place upon said followers. v

Some of said springs 18 are made heavier or stronger than others, as for instance, `the spring shown at the right-hand of Fig. 2 is lighter than the one shown at the left-hand of said figure, so that said heavier spring will not need to be compressed to any great degree vin transmitting preliminary strains of draft and bufing, while-the lighter spring` will act with its greatest power only when compressed toa greater extent than that required for said heavier spring to transmit the same strain. But said springs may be all alike, if the builder desires them so.

I do not limit myself tothe exact form and arrangement of parts shown in the" drawing, as it is evident that many changes may be made by a skilled mechanic Without departing from the spirit or scope of my nventinn. i

The operation is a follows:

,In the construction shown,'a pull on the coupler '5 causes its longitudinal movement, together with the said continuous draw-bar, as well as the common coupler at the opposite end of said continuous draw-bar, and also a corresponding longitudinal movement of all the common couplers and continuous draw-bars throughout all the cars of a train fitted with my invention.

yVlith the movement of said continuous draw-bar all of the springs 18 will be compressed, and transmit the pull to the pulling spring-plates 17, and thence to the pulling cross-bars 8 of the center-beam, and thereby the car body, or car bodies of the entire train will be pulled.

A In bufling, the action of the parts is very similar to'that just described, all of Said springs 18 will be compressed by reason of the opposite movement of the said continuous draw-bar, and willI transmit the buliing strains gradually, of course, to the builing spring-plates, to the bufling cross-bars of said center-beam, and through said beam the car body will be put into motion.

There will be little, or no, possibility of the continuous draw-bar being pulled out and the consequent breaking-in-two of a train that is fitted with my invention, no matter how heavy the engine may be, and no matter if the train be one of the modern record-breaking"freights of 100 cars, as the continuous draw-bar will extend throughout the train, with each car having numerous connections with its continuous draw-bar, distributed practically throughout the length of said continuous `draw-bar and ,the accompanying combined buliing and stilfening center-beam, as will be readily apparent by an inspection of the drawing.

Although I have shown, in the drawing, but four pairs of cross-bars 8, distributed pretty well throughout the length of the continuous center-beamss channels 7 yet it is obvious that additional pairs of crossbars 8 may be supplied along the length of said center-beam, for the purpose of stiftening and guiding the said continuous drawbar at additional points in its length.

I claim `the following as my invention:

1. An improved draft and builing apparater-beam open from end to end, and upon its under side, and provided with suitable guides at intervals of its length, and arranged to inclose and guide said continuous draw-bar upon the top and opposite sides of the latter.

2. A cast-metal continuous draw-bar having a length approximating that of the car which is to carry it, and formed with a top and bottom which unite parallel vertlcal sides and provide box-like structures for containing draft and butng springs `and followers; said box-like structures being slotted at opposite points to permit sa1d followers to project beyond said structures: 1n combination with a cast-metal center-beam which is .of about the same length as said continuous draw-bar, and is'open from end to end and upon its under side.. and provided with integral cross-bars whlcla are en- Lesage-io es gaged by the ends of said followers, and arranged to inclose and guide said continuous draw-bar upon the top and opposite sides of the latter.

3. An improved draft and butling apparatus for railway cars, consisting ot'a eastmetal continuous draw-bar having a length approximating that of the car which is to carry-it, and having integral top and bottom members united by parallel members which are LJ-shaped in cross-section; a continuous center-beam open throughout its length and upon its under-side, andinclosing said continuous draw-bar upon the top and opposite sides of the latter; and means which yieldingly connect said draw-bar to said beam at various points in the length of both drawbar and center-beam.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a-

vast-metal Continuons draw-bar having two parallel sides which are of sulieientlength to extend from end to end of a car, and a top and bottoml which unite said parallel sides and form a box-like structure for containing the draft and butling springs, and to which common draw-bars may be attached.

5. A cast-metal continuous draw-bar adapted to extend from e-nd to end of a car,

and having cast integral therewith top and bottom members which form hollow containers for the draft and buing springs and spring-plates.

6. A cast-metal continuous draw-bar having a length approximating that of a Car and having hollow end portions united by parallel members which are LJ-shaped in cross-section. i

7. A east-metal continuous draw-bar having hollow structures at points in its length; said hollow structures being slotted at opposite points, so that spring-seats may be located in the slots thus formed and project laterally from said continuous draw-bar at various points in the length of the latter, ir. combination with a center-beam having approximately the same length as that of said continuous draw-bar, and having cross-bars which are engaged by the said projecting ends of said spring-seats, and suitable springs engaging said spring-seats, to yieldinglv connect said continuous draw-bar t0 the said center-beam.

8. As a new article of manufacture, aeastmetal center-beam for railway-ears, comprising )arallcl members having integral cross-bars connecting` the said parallel members at a pluralit)v of points in the length or' s aid members; the said cross-bars being cut away on the underside, to permit the placing and removal of a continuous draw-y bar which is adapted to be located in the space between said parallel members.

9. As a new article ot' manufacture,a castmetal draft-beam forrailway cars, consisting of two pa allel channels 'connected by cross-bars having recesses in their under. edges, and all in the form of an integral casting having a clear opening throughout its length, and open upon its underside to permit the placing and removal of a continuous draw-bar which will occupy said clear opening.

lO. As a new article of manufacture, a. cast-metal draft-beam for railway cars,con sisting of two parallel channels connected b v cross-bars having recesses in their under edges, and all in the form of an integral casting having a clear continuous draw-bar opening formeel in it from one of its ends to the other end, said opening being also devoid of a bottom, to permit the placing and removal from the bottom of the continuous draw-bar; and body-bolsters recessed upon their under-side and cast integral with said draft-beam.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

DAVID D. SMITH.

Witnesses:

HENRY L. HIGDoN, JOHN C. HroDoN. 

